Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-03-12
FROM ACROSS THE SEA.
THEODORE STANTON WRITES OF
SOME FRENCH CUSTOMS.

IalsLl sHH
lie Compares Them With tho Customs
of Ii United states and Not Always
to Our neutrality-suspicious. for People
Who Wish to Enjoy Social Lie.
Special Corresponaence,l
PARIS, Jan. 3i.-I propose in this letter to
give your readers an idea. of a few of the
social customs that differ in France from
those that prevail in the United States, and
here, as in some other things, | think you
viii find that France is superior to US. We
Americans are often too apt to consider as
unworthy Of study and imitation whit we are
pleased to call "the eifete nations OF Europe"
But a long residence on this side of tho ocean
has convinced me, that while the United
States possesses many virtues, it does nos
possess all the good things OF this world.
Thus several of the social customs of France
could be transplanted with benefit into the
United States.
In America, even in our large cities, it is
more the exception than the rule if q lady has
a regular sat home.n But here in France, and
especially in Paris, everybody-even gentle
men in some instances-has his or her day
The day and the hours between which the
lady is ready to receive callers are generally
printed in the left hand lower corner of her
visiting card, and it is only on that day and
between those hours that she can be seen by
her friends. Sometimes it may be every
Tuesday or on every other Thursday, or on
the first Saturday in each month; but every
lady in Paris, even Of the most u-npretentious
sort, has q fixed afternoon when she receives
her friends.
This custom has many advantages and very
few disadvantages. Here ere some Of the
advantages: When, for instance, a French
housewife, with culinary tastes, is busy in
| the kitchen, she is sure that Mrs. Brown or
Mrs. Jones will not appear in her parlor all
ALTERED in fine robes, and thus force her to
leave the cake to spoil and to lose a precious
hour, or, it may be, q whole afternoon, that
was to have been devoted to ~replenishing the
dessert drawer. Fewer awhite liesr rave to
be told under this system, for nobody calls
on Mrs. Smith except on Tuesday, and then
Mrs. Smith is never "out.n Again, Mrs.
Smith c~an-unless she happen to be poor,
and yet ave rich acquaintance, which is
oftener the case in aristocratic Europe than
in Democratic Amarica-be as richly dressed
as her visitors, who, she knows, willnot come
in upon her before q certain hour on a GER
tain day. So she never has to enter her own
parlor making excuses for her attire, that she
came in just as she was in order not to keep
you waiting, that you must excuse her stained
hands, because she was in the midst of making
~currant jelly, etc.
And now here are some Of the advantages
to the callers. In the first place they never
have to wait "only a minute,n while Mrs.
Smith is jumping out of her kitchen dress
into her parlor robe, which often takes nearly
a half hour. Then again, you do not ring a
door bell in Paris and experience the disagree
able feeling that perhaps your unexpected
call is throwing a whole family int5 conster-
nation. No; it is Mrs. Smiths day, and the
door is Immediately opened by a neatly at
tired maid servant, who, perhaps, looks slat-
ternly on all the other days of the week, ard
who conducts you. into a cozy parlor, where
the fire Is burning, guests are chatting and
the delicious aroma Of tea rises from 4 little
side table. You find Mrs. Smith really glad
to see you, for She has been expecting you.
You often meet agreeable visitors, and you
sip a cup of tea or quaff a glass of wine, and
start ont on the next call rested in body and
refreshed. Mrs. Smith has appeared at her
best, her home looked orderly and inviting
and you were not saying to yourself during
your visit: III wonder il I am not interrupt
ing some household dutya' or, aMrs. Smith
looks as if she wished me gone,p or, tam ]
nop scaymg 100 II or some other such
HiencaI questlon thab Always haunts the brain
OIL a sensitipe person VINO inflcts a surprise
parry IN the shape OIL a call upon some help
less FRIEND,
Another admirable French custom is what
IL known as the sfaire part" Thus when a
child is born, when a marriage or funeral oc.
ours, all the friends and acquaintance of the
iamlIy are informed OF the event by receiving
a printed letter. The many advantages Of
this custom will readily occur to you. Here
are some: You never run the risk of asking
q husband about his wife who has been dead
a month; yon do not congratulate a father
on his baby who has not yet been born; you
dc not address AN old flame as Miss Black
when she mas been married for SIX months to
the man Mt her side, nor do you write
a letter to Mrs. johnson, when she has
been divorced and remarked and is now
Mrs. Robinson. 1t is nc thing
in America, to return to your native town
after a years absence, and to be in continue!
fear of making mistakes of this kind. had
several unpleasant experiences of this sort
during my visit to the United States last
summer, after a five years soiourn in Europe.
But In France, 1t is rare that this happens.
Marriages and deaths and births, are not
published as in England, in the advertising
columns OF the newspapers, where nine friends
OF ten never see them. You receive per-
sonally a notice and thus yor easily keep the
run of all that has occurred among your ac-
quaintapces in respect to these three cardinal
/ events or lie.